Voters could approve same-sex marriage for first time

Voters could make history Tuesday if they approve same-sex marriage in one of four states where it is on the ballot. Approval of same-sex marriage is narrowly leading in the polls in Maine and in Washington State. Ballot measures in Maryland and Minnesota are a toss up.

Up to now, the issue has always lost when put to voters; 30 states have banned same-sex marriage by constitutional amendment, and California blocked it with the Prop 8 referendum now under court challenge. Supporters are trying in Maine to roll back its 2009 referendum blocking same-sex marriage.

The six states and DC where same-sex marriage is legal have done so through the legislature or courts, a point frequently trumpeted by opponents. The issue continues to deeply divide voters in all four states and the contests will be very close. See the wording of the initiatives here.

The Human Rights Campaign announced a $100,000 contribution by Brad Pitt, sending out this message from the movie star: “It’s unbelievable to me that people’s lives and relationships are literally being voted on in a matter of days,” said Pitt in an email today to HRC members and supporters. “If you’re like me, you don’t want to have to ask yourself on the day after the election, what else could I have done?”

“One often-cited reason for the change is that younger voters with more accepting views are replacing older voters in the population. The more important reason, though, is that Americans in every political, religious, and age group across the country are changing their minds on this issue.”

The group’s polling shows that over the past seven years, approval for same sex marriage among Evangelicals gained 8 points, weekly churchgoers, 12 points, and conservatives 15 points.

This year’s ballot initiatives have been marked by boycotts of Starbucks and General Mills, organized by the National Organization for Marriage. The group accused the giant coffee and cereal makers of trying to destroy traditional marriage by supporting the ballot measures in Washington and Minnesota.